This invention relates to wireless optical scanning devices, locking mechanisms for use in self-service shops, and improved locking arrangements for portable data acquisition terminals.
Self service optical scanning systems have been described that allow shoppers in self-service stores to shop by taking items off of shelves, scanning the items"" identifying bar code with a portable terminal, placing the items in their shopping cart, and checking out without standing in long lines. Check-out is simplified and made more efficient because the customer in charged for the items previously scanned, e.g. by reading out a memory of the terminal. The system generates an itemization and account of purchases is possible without the need for the cashier to scan the items individually. A store can use this system to reduce the need for cashiers and for processing regular customers more quickly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,942 describes a self-service system having a scanner terminal dispensing device that is accessible from two sides. The dispensing apparatus holds the terminals and includes a customer identification station whereat a customer presents an ID card and, upon confirmation of the customer""s identity, the host computer sends a data signal through the dispenser apparatus to release a terminal for use by the customer.
The disclosed configuration requires that each terminal station on the dispensing rack be wired for data communication with the host computer in order for the computer to release a selected terminal among many terminals and to enable data communication between the host computer and the terminals. This wiring can be extensive, making the dispensing rack costly to assemble and maintain. It is an object of the present invention to provide improved self-service shopping systems and improved terminal locking mechanisms.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved method of controlling release of a terminal from a terminal storage rack. According to the method, user identification data is entered into the terminal to operate a lock mechanism in response to the data entry.
The user identification data may be entered manually or by scanning a user identification device. The release may be under control of a master controller which communicates with the terminal.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, user identification may be presented to a master controller using a machine-readable device or by keying.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a data acquisition system having a simplified terminal storage rack wherein a host computer communicates with the portable terminals via radio-frequency. According to the invention there is provided customer identification device, a portable terminal that includes an optical code reading device, a terminal radio, a programmed terminal controller, and a locking mechanism. There is further provided a master station that includes a master radio and a programmed master controller, and a terminal receiving and dispensing rack that has terminal receiving positions that engage the terminal locking mechanism. The terminal controller is programmed to cause the terminal radio to send data to the master station and to respond to unlock signals from the master station to operate the locking mechanism. The master controller is programmed to receive codes from the master radio, to process the codes, and to cause the master radio to send unlock signals. The data acquisition system may be a self-service shopping system.
In accordance with the invention there is further provided a cradle for a terminal on a shopping cart. The cart includes a terminal receiving station for receiving and engaging the terminal and the locking mechanism on the terminal is released when the terminal reads a customer identification device. One way to perform the identification is using a terminal controller to verify the customer authorization. Identification can also be performed by a master station that sends radio signals to the terminal to verify the customer authorization.
In accordance with the invention there are provided a variety of alternative arrangements for locking a terminal to a receiving rack, either internal or external to the terminal and controlled by the master controller via the terminal controller. One locking arrangement contains a solenoid operating a lock on the terminal and is activated by RF signals from a master controller. A second locking arrangement contains a solenoid on the terminal receiving rack, and its release may be activated by RF signals to the terminal, which provides electrical signals to operate the solenoid on the receiving rack.
For a better understanding of the present invention together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.